1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for determining the roll angle of a motorcycle and to a device for determining the roll angle of a motorcycle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern motorcycle antilock brake systems (ABS) and integral brake systems are very highly developed and therefore relatively reliable for braking operations during straight-ahead travel and braking operations in moderately sloping positions. In relatively severely sloping positions, the parameters of the brake system (for example the distribution of the braking force, the gradient of the braking pressure and the control strategy) have to be adapted to cornering in order also to ensure safe braking when cornering occurs. Knowledge of the sloping position angle (roll angle) is essential for this. However, turning light systems, chassis systems and future vehicle movement dynamics control systems also require the roll angle as an input variable. Known systems for measuring the roll angle during driving are either too inaccurate or too expensive for series applications. The underlying measurement principles for determining the roll angle are either suitable only for steady-state situations or only for non-steady-state travel situations.
Document DE 100 39 978 C2 discloses a device for measuring the angle of inclination with respect to the direction of gravity or the direction of the resulting contact force which comprises a sensor arrangement and an evaluation unit which is connected in an electrically conductive fashion, in which case the sensor arrangement has two acceleration sensors, and the evaluation unit calculates the angle of inclination on the basis of the measured acceleration values.
Document DE 42 44 112 C2 discloses an antilock brake system for motorcycles which comprises, inter alia, an auxiliary circuit which calculates the angle of the sloping position of the vehicle by means of two acceleration sensors.
A method for determining the roll angle and the pitch angle of a two-wheeled vehicle using an adaptive filter is described in WO 02/01151.
An object of the invention is making available a method and a device for determining the roll angle of a motorcycle which permits reliable determination of the roll angle with a high level of accuracy at the same time. In this context, the cost of implementing the method and of manufacturing the device are to be low.